Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Zouk Mikael Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Zouk Mikael

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,111 in Zouk Mikael.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,684 in Zouk Mikael.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,257 in Zouk Mikael.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 29% more expensive than Zouk Mikael, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 7% above, Zouk Mikael is 17% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$10.61 LBP 949.6K

-66.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$58.9 LBP 5.3M

-44.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$7.92 LBP 709.0K

-35.98%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$3.26 LBP 292.1K

-13.19%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$1.62 LBP 145.1K

-17.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.94 LBP 84.5K

-26.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$3.53 LBP 315.6K

-15.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$4.91 LBP 439.7K

-21.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$1.80 LBP 160.8K

-3.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$0.32 LBP 29.0K

693.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$1.76 LBP 157.2K

-32.39%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$3.08 LBP 275.7K

-21.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$5.05 LBP 452.1K

190.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$9.32 LBP 834.4K

-55.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$11.54 LBP 1.0M

3.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$1.74 LBP 155.4K

112.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$1.47 LBP 131.7K

9.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$1.09 LBP 97.3K

146.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$1.09 LBP 97.6K

113.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$0.38 LBP 34.2K

402.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$1.00 LBP 89.6K

119.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$0.88 LBP 78.6K

20.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.56 LBP 49.7K

28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$2.57 LBP 230.3K

21.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$11.21 LBP 1.0M

109.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$0.86 LBP 77.2K

218.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$2.15 LBP 192.3K

33.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$5.11 LBP 457.6K

-91.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$1.27 LBP 113.8K

-66.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$20.39 LBP 1.8M

-69.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$0.95 LBP 84.7K

-11.58%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$34.6K LBP 3.1B

-24.07%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$28.3K LBP 2.5B

14.59%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$171 LBP 15.3M

-54.10%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$38.26 LBP 3.4M

-89.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$37.35 LBP 3.3M

-34.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$8.02 LBP 717.9K

-49.63%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$303 Rp 5.2M

$303 LBP 27.1M

-0.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$4,506 LBP 403.3M

44.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$71.5 LBP 6.4M

-24.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$45.55 LBP 4.1M

-16.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$76.1 LBP 6.8M

14.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$93.1 LBP 8.3M

-15.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$497 LBP 44.5M

103.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$302 LBP 27.1M

123.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$994 LBP 88.9M

241.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$506 LBP 45.3M

314.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

$496 LBP 44.4M

-65.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

4.25

212.47%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for Zouk Mikael: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali and $497 in Zouk Mikael. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zouk Mikael pays 187% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $59.0 in Zouk Mikael. Groceries flip the comparison at $298 vs $209, with Zouk Mikael cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Ubud, Bali vs Zouk Mikael: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zouk Mikael wins on cost – living expenses run 29% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Zouk Mikael the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Zouk Mikael earns 187% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $497 in Zouk Mikael. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 43% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,111 in Zouk Mikael – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,111 in Zouk Mikael versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Zouk Mikael but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Zouk Mikael the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Zouk Mikael delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,111 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Zouk Mikael hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Zouk Mikael are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Zouk Mikael gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.